The Peoples Democratic Party Monitoring Group has alleged a plot to arrest and detain PDP chieftains in Akwa Ibom State.
According to the PDPMG, the plot is being masterminded by the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Akwa Ibom State, Mr Nsima Ekere; and Senator Godswill Akpabio, a former governor of the state.
The PDPMG claimed that Ekere and Akpabio had hired some miscreants to foment trouble in the state during todayโs presidential and National Assembly elections.
It claimed that the arrest of the miscreants would be stage-managed such that they would make purported confessional statements implicating PDP chieftains in Akwa Ibom State.
It named those to be implicated as PDP National Legal Adviser, Emmanuel Enoidem; the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Works, Mr Ephraim Inyang; Senator Bassey Albert; and the Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Onofiok Luke.
The PDPMG said, โAvailable intelligence has revealed that this wicked, barbaric and devilish plot is being spearheaded by an aide of Mr Ekere and these thugs brought in from outside the state to execute the aforementioned plot are already camped in Akwa Ibom preparatory to the execution of the task they have been assigned to undertake.
โWe want to state categorically, without fear or contradiction, that no amount of intimidation, threat, plot to arrest, detain, frame up or assassinate any PDP chieftain or high-ranking member of the party in the state will weaken the resolve of all PDP members in the 31 local government areas of the state to support, vote for and defend the wishes and aspirations of Akwa Ibom people who are resolute and unwavering in their resolve to support the second term bid of Governor Udom Emmanuel towards consolidating on the gains of his industrialisation policy and the prevailing peace and security witnessed in the state since May 29, 2015, contrary to what was obtainable in the state from 2007 to 2015.โ
But Akpabioโs media aide, Anietie Ekong, said the allegation against his principal were unfounded, saying โit follows a familiar pattern of crying wolf since the defection of Senator Akpabio to the APC.โ
He said, โIt is nonsensical for anyone to claim that Senator Akpabio held a meeting with unnamed security agencies in the state.โ
He added that it was irresponsible of the PDP to drag President Muhammadu Buhariโs name into the allegation.
โPresident Muhammadu Buhari is a responsible leader who was committed to the well-being of all Nigerians and could not have given any instructions on innocent Nigerians to be maimed and killed,โ he said.
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party has called for the release of its presidential campaign spokesman in Kogi State, Mr Austin Okai. Okai was said to have been abducted on Friday evening by armed thugs allegedly working for the All Progressives Congress.
